Southerly winds out ahead of a deep trough over the southern plains ushered in warm and humid air into the region. The resulting instability, combined with moderate winds aloft, combined to produce an environment marginally favorable for severe weather.
Every event with a place to put it; 1 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.
Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.
The episode as NWS RNK wrote it up.
Southerly winds out ahead of a deep trough over the southern plains ushered in warm and humid air into the region. The resulting instability, combined with moderate winds aloft, combined to produce an environment marginally favorable for severe weather. Thunderstorms formed mainly along and east of the Blur Ridge during the afternoon, and several of these storms became severe with large hail and damaging winds.
The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS Blacksburg, VA wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Apr 26, 2:56 PM EST, 1 hour 11 minutes earlier.
AREA FORECAST DISCUSSION NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA 356 PM EDT TUE APR 26 2011 .SYNOPSIS... A SLOW MOVING...BUT STRONG COLD FRONT APPROACHING THE OHIO AND TENNESSEE VALLEYS...WILL CROSS THE MID ATLANTIC REGION WEDNESDAY NIGHT INTO THURSDAY MORNING. COOLER HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD INTO THE AREA THURSDAY NIGHT AND FRIDAY. && .NEAR TERM /THROUGH WEDNESDAY/... SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH IN EFFECT UNTIL 900 PM FOR MOST OF THE AREA. SEE WEB PAGE FOR DETAILS OR VIEW WCNRNK FOR COUNTIES. AREAL COVERAGE OF CONVECTION TO INCREASE THIS EVENING AS SHORT WAVE PIVOTS OVER THE PIEDMONT. THE MID AND LOWER LEVELS OF THE ATMOSPHERE ARE SATURATED WITH TROPICAL MOISTURE FROM THE GULF AND ATLANTIC TO PRODUCE HEAVY DOWN POURS IN STRONGER STORMS INTO THIS EVENING. BREAKS IN THE CLOUDS THIS AFTERNOON WILL HELP INCREASE INSTABILITIES WITH A FEW STORMS BECOMING SEVERE. THE GREATEST THREAT WILL BE STRAIGHT LINE WINDS. LARGE HAIL IS POSSIBLE IF ANY CELLS DEVELOP ROTATION...BUT GENERALLY LOOKING AT DIME SIZE OR SMALLER HAIL AS FREEZING LEVEL IS RELATIVELY HIGH. BY MIDNIGHT THE SHORT WAVE WILL HAVE MOVED NORTH OF THE AREA...DECREASING THE CHANCE FOR STRONG STORMS OVER THE REGION. INSTABILITIES REMAIN OVERNIGHT FOR A STRAY SHOWER AND POSSIBLY A RUMBLE OF THUNDER THROUGH THE EARLY MORNING HOURS WEDNESDAY. ON WEDNESDAY...THE UPPER LEVEL TROUGH BECOMES NEGATIVELY TILTED WITH A COLD FRONT COMING ACROSS THE OHIO/TENN VALLEY. MODELS ARE CONSISTENT WITH EVENING ARRIVAL OF THE COLD FRONTS SQUALL LINE. AHEAD OF THE FRONT...AFTERNOON HEATING AND LINGERING BOUNDARIES FROM MORNING SHOWERS WILL IGNITE CONVECTION OVER THE AREA EARLY IN THE AFTERNOON. JUST LIKE TODAY...A FEW OF THESE PREFRONTAL SHOWERS COULD BECOME STRONG WITH HEAVY DOWNPOURS AND STRAIGHT LINE WINDS. && .SHORT TERM /WEDNESDAY NIGHT THROUGH FRIDAY/... WIDESPREAD CONVECTION IS EXPECTED TO BE ASSOCIATED WITH WHAT WILL BE A SLOW MOVING COLD FRONT AS IT CROSSES THE AREA WED NIGHT INTO THURSDAY MORNING. STRONG WIND FIELDS...WITH A LOW LEVEL JET OF 50+ KNOTS AT 850 MBS...AND SOME VEERING IN THE PROFILE...WILL SUPPORT AT LEAST LINEAR MULTICELL TYPE THUNDERSTORMS...LIKELY A SQUALL LINE...WITH THE POSSIBILITY OF EMBEDDED TORNADOES. THE ENTIRE AREA IS IN A SLIGHT RISK AREA- WILL CONTINUE TO BE HIGHLIGHTED IN THE HWO. CHC FOR DAMAGING WINDS HAS BEEN INCLUDED IN THE WEATHER GRIDS. IN ADDITION TO THE SEVERE THREAT...PWATS WILL BE NEAR 1.5 INCHES WITH STRONG MOISTURE TRANSPORT FROM THE GULF OF MEXICO AND SRN ATLANTIC. THESE TSTORMS WILL HAVE HEAVY RAINFALL. THE THINKING IS THAT A SQUALL LINE WILL BE PROGRESSIVE ENOUGH TO MITIGATE THE THREAT OF WIDESPREAD HEAVY RAIN. THERE IS A THREAT THAT CONVECTION COULD END UP PROGRESSING MORE SLOWLY EASTWARD WITH A NEGATIVELY TILTED TROUGH. TRENDS WILL HAVE TO BE MONITORED....AND A FLASH FLOOD WATCH MAY BE NEEDED. HAVE KEPT LIKELY POPS IN THE PIEDMONT THURSDAY MORNING...BUT CLEAR PRECIP OUT IN THE AFTERNOON FOR ALL BUT WESTERN SLOPES AREAS. COLD AIR IS LAGGING BEHIND THE FRONT...AND WITH A DOWNSLOPE WEST WIND THURSDAY AFTERNOON...I HAVE RAISED HIGHS CLOSER TO 80 DEGREES IN THE PIEDMONT. PRESSURE RISES ARE FAIRLY STRONG THURSDAY BEHIND THE FRONT...ON THE ORDER OF 6 MBS IN 6 HOURS...BUT THE LOW LEVEL JET IS 40 KNOTS OR LESS...SO WIND GUSTS WILL LIKELY REMAIN BELOW WIND ADVISORY CRITERIA. COLD ADVECTION WITH GUSTY WEST WINDS THIRSDAY WILL MAKE LOWS FEEL COLD...WITH VALUES FROM THE UPPER 30S IN THE WEST TO THE UPPER 40S IN THE EAST. FRIDAY WILL BE CLOSER TO NORMAL...WITH HIGHS IN THE 60S IN THE MTNS...TO LOWER 70S IN THE PIEDMONT. && .LONG TERM /FRIDAY NIGHT THROUGH TUESDAY/... DEEP TROUGH IS EXITING THE EAST COAST...AND SFC HIGH PRESSURE WILL BE BUILDING INTO THE REGION FRIDAY NIGHT AND SATURDAY. TIMING LOOKS GOOD FOR A DECENT RADIATIONAL COOLING NIGHT FRIDAY NIGHT...SO I KEPT LOW TEMPS COOLER THAN HPC GUIDANCE...ESPECIALLY IN THE MTN VALLEYS WHERE WE COULD SEE SOME UPPER 30S. SATURDAY SHOULD BE PARTLY TO MOSTLY SUNNY...AND WITH WARM ADVECTION INTO THE MTNS IN THE AFTERNOON...HIGHS IN THE SW MTNS OF VA INTO THE BLUEFIELD AREA MAY BE JUST AS WARM AS THE SW VA AND NW NC PIEDMONT. ANOTHER DEEP TROUGH IN THE WESTERN U.S. WILL BE MOVG EASTWARD OVER THE WEEKEND INTO THE BEGINNING OF NEXT WEEK. HPC IS LEANING TOWARD THE SLOWER AND MORE AMPLIFIED ECMWF. THIS MORE AMPLIFIED SOLUTION CLOSES OFF AN UPPER LOW IN THE WRN ATLANTIC SOON ENOUGH THAT A BACK DOOR FRONT MAY BRING COOLER AND CLOUDIER CONDITIONS TO THE FORECAST AREA FROM SUNDAY INTO MONDAY. HAVE STAYED CLOSE TO HPC TEMPS AND POPS FOR SUNDAY AND MONDAY. THE COLD FRONT ASSOCIATED WITH THE SLOW MOVG TROUGH REACHES THE FORECAST AREA BY MONDAY NIGHT...EVEN IN THE SLOWER ECMWF SOLUTION...SO HAVE KEPT HIGH HPC POPS FOR THE MONDAY/MONDAY NIGHT TIME FRAME. MODELS ARE IN FAIR AGREEMENT THEN IN HAVING MORE SRN STREAM ENERGY DEVELOP A WAVE ALONG THE FRONT TUESDAY AND SLOW IT DOWN WHILE IT IS OVER ERN VA AND NC...SO HAVE KEPT CHC POPS ACROSS THE ERN CWA TUESDAY...WITH MORE CLOUDS AND COOLER TEMPS. && .AVIATION /20Z TUESDAY THROUGH SUNDAY/... A WEAK UPPER LEVEL SYSTEM MOVING THROUGH THE AREA...COMBINED WITH ABUNDANT LOW LEVEL MOISTURE HAS SPARKED SCATTERED LIGHT RAIN SHOWERS MAINLY IN THE NW NC MOUNTAINS/NEW RIVER VALLEY THIS MORNING. THIS PATCH OF SHOWERS WILL MOVE ACROSS THE GREENBRIER VALLEY/ALLEGHANY HIGHLANDS (LWB/HSP) THIS AFTERNOON. SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS WILL ALSO DEVELOP OVER THE PIEDMONT (DAN/LYH) THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON. EXPECT SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS TO INCREASE IN COVERAGE THROUGH THE DAY...WITH A FEW BECOMING STRONG TO SEVERE. THERE ARE VARIETY OF CLOUDS AND CEILING ACROSS THE AREA EARLY THIS AFTERNOON. ACROSS THE MOUNTAINS MVFR-LOW END VFR WITH SPOTTY SHOWERS. EAST OF THE BLUE RIDGE...MOSTLY VFR CEILINGS WITH SCATTERED TO BROKEN COVERAGE. MOST CEILINGS SHOULD LIFT TO VFR THIS AFTERNOON AND LOWER DURING THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY. IN ADDITION...GUSTY SOUTH WINDS WILL REACH 20-25 KTS AT MOST LOCATIONS WITH HIGHER GUSTS LIKELY NEAR THUNDERSTORMS. AS AN UPPER LEVEL STORM SYSTEM APPROACHES LATER TODAY...STORMS WILL RE-DEVELOP BETWEEN 00Z-06Z TONIGHT...MAINLY ALONG THE WEST OF THE BLUE RIDGE. LOWERING CLOUD HEIGHTS...POTENTIALLY DOWN TO THE IFR CATEGORY LEVEL...AND PATCHY FOG ARE ALSO EXPECTED. THESE SHOWERS WILL WANE THROUGH THE OVERNIGHT...BUT LOW CLOUDS MAY LINGER. WEDNESDAY COULD BE A SIMILAR AS TODAY WITH SCATTERED CONVECTION DEVELOPING LATE MORNING TO EARLY AFTERNOON. WEDNESDAY NIGHT INTO THURSDAY THE SURFACE COLD FRONT WILL CROSS THE AREA WITH A SQUALL LINE OF STRONG TO SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS. LOW LEVEL JET IS PROGGED TO INCREASE TO 50 TO 60 KTS AT 850 MB JUST IN ADVANCE OF THE FRONT. WHILE SURFACE HIGH PRESSURE BUILD INTO THE AREA THURSDAY NIGHT INTO FRIDAY...THE PARENT UPPER TROUGH WILL STILL BE CROSSING OUR REGION. ANTICIPATE VFR CONDITIONS WITH ISOLATED TO SCATTERED STEEP LAPSE RATE SHOWERS. && .RNK WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... VA...NONE. NC...NONE. WV...NONE. && SYNOPSIS...JJ/PH NEAR TERM...RCS SHORT TERM...JJ LONG TERM...JJ AVIATION...PH/RCS
HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA 215 PM EDT TUE APR 26 2011 NCZ004>006-VAZ022-032>035-043>047-058-059-271815- STOKES-ROCKINGHAM-CASWELL-ROANOKE-PATRICK-FRANKLIN-BEDFORD-AMHERST- HENRY-PITTSYLVANIA-CAMPBELL-APPOMATTOX-BUCKINGHAM-HALIFAX-CHARLOTTE- 215 PM EDT TUE APR 26 2011 ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 214 IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM EDT THIS EVENING... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTH CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA...CENTRAL VIRGINIA...SOUTH CENTRAL VIRGINIA...SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA AND WEST CENTRAL VIRGINIA. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH. THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT WITH DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE HAIL BEING THE MAIN THREAT. ISOLATED TORNADOES ARE ALSO POSSIBLE. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY. A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUES WEDNESDAY INTO EARLY THURSDAY. THESE STORMS WILL HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE HAIL...ALONG WITH ISOLATED TORNADOES. HEAVY RAINS ARE EXPECTED WITH THESE STORMS WHICH MAY RESULT IN FLOODING OF LOW LYING AND POOR DRAINAGE AREAS. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED. VAZ007-009>020-023-024-WVZ042>045-271815- TAZEWELL-SMYTH-BLAND-GILES-WYTHE-PULASKI-MONTGOMERY-GRAYSON-CARROLL- FLOYD-CRAIG-ALLEGHANY VA-BATH-BOTETOURT-ROCKBRIDGE-MERCER-SUMMERS- MONROE-GREENBRIER- 215 PM EDT TUE APR 26 2011 ...SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH 214 IN EFFECT UNTIL 9 PM EDT THIS EVENING... THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHWEST VIRGINIA...WEST CENTRAL VIRGINIA AND SOUTHEAST WEST VIRGINIA. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. PLEASE LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO OR GO TO WEATHER.GOV ON THE INTERNET FOR MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THE FOLLOWING HAZARDS. SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WATCH. THERE IS A SLIGHT RISK FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT WITH THE MAIN THREAT BEING DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE HAIL. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY. A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUES WEDNESDAY INTO EARLY THURSDAY. THESE STORMS WILL HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE HAIL. HEAVY RAINS ARE EXPECTED WITH THESE STORMS WHICH MAY RESULT IN LOCALIZED FLOODING. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED. NCZ001>003-018>020-271815- ASHE-ALLEGHANY NC-SURRY-WATAUGA-WILKES-YADKIN- 215 PM EDT TUE APR 26 2011 THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR NORTH CENTRAL NORTH CAROLINA AND NORTHWEST NORTH CAROLINA. .DAY ONE...THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT. THERE IS A SMALL RISK FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON AND TONIGHT WITH THE MAIN THREAT BEING DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE HAIL. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...WEDNESDAY THROUGH MONDAY. A SLIGHT RISK OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS CONTINUES WEDNESDAY INTO EARLY THURSDAY. THESE STORMS WILL HAVE THE POTENTIAL TO PRODUCE DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE HAIL. HEAVY RAINS ARE EXPECTED WITH THESE STORMS WHICH MAY RESULT IN LOCALIZED FLOODING. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED. RCS
SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
223 PM EDT TUE APR 26 2011
VAZ023-024-034-035-261900-
AMHERST VA-BEDFORD VA-BOTETOURT VA-ROCKBRIDGE VA-
223 PM EDT TUE APR 26 2011
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT AMHERST...BEDFORD...BOTETOURT
AND ROCKBRIDGE COUNTIES...
AT 220 PM EDT...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED 3 MILES EAST OF
MONTVALE...MOVING NORTHEAST AT 35 MPH.
WIND GUSTS TO 50 MPH AND HAIL UP TO DIME SIZE ARE POSSIBLE WITH THIS
STORM.
THIS STORM WILL BE NEAR PEAKS OF OTTER RECREATION AREA AROUND 230
PM...NATURAL BRIDGE AROUND 245 PM AND GLASGOW AROUND 300 PM.
THIS STORM IS CONTINUING TO INTENSIFY. IF IT BECOMES MUCH
STRONGER...A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM WARNING MAY BE REQUIRED.
LAT...LON 3770 7923 3727 7962 3737 7984 3780 7966
3784 7962
16SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
346 PM EDT TUE APR 26 2011
VAZ058-262015-
HALIFAX VA-
346 PM EDT TUE APR 26 2011
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT HALIFAX COUNTY...
AT 342 PM EDT...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED NEAR BETHEL HILL...
MOVING NORTH-NORTHEAST AT 30 MPH.
WIND GUSTS TO 50 MPH AND SMALL HAIL ARE POSSIBLE WITH THIS STORM.
EXPECT FREQUENT CLOUD TO GROUND LIGHTNING FROM THIS STORM. DO NOT
STAY IN THE OPEN OR SEEK SHELTER UNDER TREES WHEN LIGHTNING
THREATENS...MOVE INDOORS WHEN A THUNDERSTORM APPROACHES.
THIS STORM WILL BE NEAR SCOTTSBURG BETWEEN 400 AND 430 PM.
THE PUBLIC IS ENCOURAGED TO RELAY REPORTS OF STRONG WINDS...HAIL OR
FLOODING TO THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BLACKSBURG BY CALLING
1...8 6 6...2 1 5...4 3 2 4...WHEN YOU CAN DO SO SAFELY.
LAT...LON 3667 7870 3661 7870 3654 7873 3655 7894
3685 7886 3680 7868 3676 7867 3674 7869
3670 7865 3669 7866
SKSPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
434 PM EDT TUE APR 26 2011
NCZ002-003-019-262130-
ALLEGHANY NC-SURRY NC-WILKES NC-
434 PM EDT TUE APR 26 2011
...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WILL AFFECT ALLEGHANY...SURRY AND WILKES
COUNTIES...
AT 433 PM EDT...A STRONG THUNDERSTORM WAS LOCATED OVER TRAPHILL...
MOVING NORTHEAST AT 40 MPH.
WIND GUSTS TO 40 MPH AND HAIL UP TO DIME SIZE ARE POSSIBLE WITH THIS
STORM.
THIS STORM WILL BE NEAR ROARING GAP AROUND 440 PM...MOUNTAIN PARK
AROUND 450 PM...BARRETT AROUND 455 PM...LOW GAP AROUND 500 PM AND
PINE RIDGE AROUND 505 PM.
LAT...LON 3621 8122 3656 8098 3656 8068 3655 8062
3615 8111
16PRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
451 PM EDT TUE APR 26 2011
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0355 PM TSTM WND DMG 5 SE SOUTH BOSTON 36.65N 78.84W
04/26/2011 HALIFAX VA COUNTY OFFICIAL
ONE TREE BLOWN DOWN ALONG HIGHWAY 658, BLOCKING ONE LANE
OF TRAFFIC.
&&
WHPPRELIMINARY LOCAL STORM REPORT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE BLACKSBURG VA
456 PM EDT TUE APR 26 2011
..TIME... ...EVENT... ...CITY LOCATION... ...LAT.LON...
..DATE... ....MAG.... ..COUNTY LOCATION..ST.. ...SOURCE....
..REMARKS..
0442 PM HAIL TRAPHILL 36.35N 81.03W
04/26/2011 E0.50 INCH WILKES NC PUBLIC
DIME SIZE HAIL.
&&
WHPThe Roanoke radar (KFCX), 50 km away, was scanning. The volume nearest the first event began at 21:07 UTC.
7 hail, 3 thunderstorm wind, 1 strong wind. Local standard time, as filed.
Thunderstorm winds blew down a couple trees, one of which landed on a car wash. One tree had its topped snapped off, and a store sign was blown apart.
Thunderstorm winds blew multiple trees down across the area. A total of seven trees fell between the 1000 and 4000 block of Gladys Road, and three trees between the 1000 and 2000 block of Marshall Mill Road.
A thunderstorm knocked down one tree in Danville on Henry Street. The tree fell onto the Salvation army Community Center gymnasium. It fell through the metal wall and pushed over a block wall inside the gym.
Three trees were blown down by thunderstorm winds between the 800 and 1000 block of Poor House Road.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Virginia in 2011Every state in 2011This day in weather historyWarnings in Virginia, April 2011
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 303812, 303822, 303813, 303816, 303818, 303820, 305011, 303817, 303814, 303821, 303823.